Many people who use unprocessed beef tallow on their skin say they get it from their local butcher shops.

Proxies for bioactive compounds found in unprocessed foods – such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds – are integrated into the score's core algorithm, which uses nutrient ratios to measure the degree of food processing.

“It builds on the assumption that unprocessed products are healthier and more nutritious,” Baker added.

At this point there was also a backlog of 91,000 unprocessed claims, with around 9,000 being processed each week, according to the latest official figures.

In mid-November, there was a backlog of 90,000 unprocessed claims, with around 9,000 being cleared each week, according to the latest official figures.